Israeli Justice Minister says Hamas is to blame for killing in Gaza

Updated
July 22, 2014 09:41:00

Despite intensifying diplomatic efforts to negotiate a ceasefire, more Palestinians were killed in Gaza overnight in ongoing airstrikes tank shelling. With no sign of a break in talks, Israel's Justice Minister Tzipi Livni has told AM she's not comfortable with the killing.

CHRIS UHLMANN: Diplomatic efforts to end the bombardment of Gaza will step up today, as the US Secretary of State holds meetings on a ceasefire in Cairo.

More Palestinians were killed overnight, as airstrikes and tank shelling continued. With no sign of a breakthrough in talks, Israel's Justice Minister has told AM she's not comfortable with the killing in Gaza.

Middle East Correspondent Hayden Cooper reports.

(Sounds of people in distress)

HAYDEN COOPER: There's no respite for the people of Gaza. Constant Israeli shelling is sending the death toll ever higher, well above 500.

Considered left wing, it's obvious she feels conflicted about the bloodshed inflicted by the Israeli army.

How can you justify the killing of civilians in Gaza?

TZIPI LIVNI: A loss of a child is terrible for a Palestinian mother or an Israeli one. We try to avoid this operation. We just want to live in peace here, we try to reach an agreement with Abu Mazen, with those Palestinians that represent the legitimate aspirations of Palestinians for a state.

But Hamas represent a conflict from a religious perspective. They are not willing to accept us here, Israel left the Gaza strip with dismantled settlements, we took our forces out and they are targeting us. What else we can do?

HAYDEN COOPER: Are you comfortable with what's happening in there?

TZIPI LIVNI: Comfortable is not the right answer, maybe it's the right question.

I'm comfortable with having a military operation, I'm not comfortable when I see these pictures. But we call these people to leave, we call them- we text them to leave these places. We said to them that we have a military operation going on.

Hamas called them to stay! So basically, Hamas asked them to stay there and they are being taken hostage by Hamas. It's not our intention but this is the way wars are.

HAYDEN COOPER: Today the US Secretary of State John Kerry will hold meetings in Cairo. Nothing has been able to stop the killing so far, will he be able to end this two week old war?